Oh my god this story is literally a piece of shit, idk why ppl still read dis

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{third person POV}

"Take him at his lowest, gain his trust and manipulate him"

That exact sentence rang through Akaza's mind over and over. "Gain his trust." The pink haired demon sat perched in a tree staring down on the stone faced boy.

He had been simply sitting on the floor for almost an hour in the rain now. Unmoving and blank; almost as if stuck in a trance. Akaza could physically see how cold Tanjiro was from the way his whole body trembled continually "manipulate him."

"At his lowest." Akaza scanned the butterfly mansion's garden. It was cold and desolate, except the bright orange glow that came from the windows of the mansion, the occasional person scurrying back and forth within the building.

A smile crept across his face as he jumped off the branch and onto the wall; now closer to Tanjiro. He was close enough to see how his appearance had changed. Fangs emerged from his now blue lips, deep red and aquamarine eyes clouded and distant looking.

His soaked clothes loosely cling to Tanjiro's figure, showing off his surprisingly slender waist and refinely toned abs.

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"Hey has anyone seen Tanjiro?" Giyuu began to ask around , having just knocked on his door and receiving no response.

Rengoku who was busy training at the moment shook his head in denial "nope, why I thought he was in his room?" The flame pillar questioned sceptically, never straying his attention from his sword.

Giyuu walked away wordlessly, leaving him to his own devises while he searched some more. Giyuu had started to become worried for Tanjiro, what if he was outside? In this weather he was bound to get a bad cold or maybe even worse.

What if a demon found him? They had seemed to constantly torment Tanjiro lately, the reason why Giyuu still didn't know.

'It won't hurt to check outside right?'

Deciding to take a quick look, The water pillar walked briskly out into the garden. The downfall hadn't stopped at all, in fact it was even more stormy.

The silver hues were as molten silver, swirling in steady and radiating ripples. Giyuu loved the sky during a storm; he loved the greys of every shade and depth. He could simply swim in the atmosphere so subtly electric, alive with an excitement for what is to come.

Yet something felt different today. He didn't feel this overwhelming sense of tranquility as the rushes of wind battered the trees. He didn't feel alive when the water dampened his hair and traced his tired face. He didn't like the feeling of the dull grey clouds closing in on him.

So constricting and claustrophobic he felt the intense urge to go back inside immediately.

Something just felt off.

Giyuu knew this feeling. The feeling that something bad is or was going to happen.

Creeping around the corner, Giyuu began to more urgently search the garden. His dead blue eyes darted from side to side, trying to make anything out in the horrendous storm; the dark surrounding and pouring of rain making it hard to focus his vision.

Suddenly he caught the vibrant hue of bright pink, snapping his head towards the direction he laid eyes on none other than Akaza; bending down next to Tanjiro's shaking figure.

Giyuu darted silently behind the wall, sword drawn as he peered over to the scene once more.

Tanjiro stared blankly into the garden; kneeling in a deep puddle beneath him. His was soaked through, distant looking and not reacting at all to the demon whom was right next to him.

Akaza waved a hand in front of his face but got no movement from Tanjiro.

Just as Akaza was about to place his hand on Tanjiro's shoulder, Giyuu kept out from behind the wall and sliced his hand clean off.

It feel next to the puddle Tanjiro sat in, limp as if bled out freely.

Akaza leapt back from surprise and regenerated his limb almost instantly, glaring at the water pillar maliciously.

Giyuu took a defensive stance in front of Tanjiro, prepared to fight to protect him of Akaza got closer.

"Names Akaza, that's a fine technique you have there" the demon introduced himself, his eyes occasionally landing on Tanjiro then back to Giyuu.

Akaza narrowed his eyes once he got no response; simply the rush of wind and drumming of rain filling in the silence.

"Tomioka... am I right?" Akaza hissed, crouching down to the floor while propping himself up with one hand. He smiled sinisterly at the flash of surprise that crossed Giyuu's face.

"I am obligated to kill you. But if you flee now I may spare your life" he stated simply, just loud enough to be heard above the rain.

Akaza's smile dimmed at this; he so wanted to see his full potential but something else was on his mind at the moment..

Tanjiro.

"Does that mean you have to kill him? I mean... he is a demon" Akaza pointed his clawed finger towards the blank faced Tanjiro, the tips of his fingers beginning to turn an icy blue as they draped limply by his sides.

"Not a repulsive one like you" Giyuu countered, Akaza had struck a nerve within Giyuu's mind. The mere thought of harming Tanjiro made him feel sick.

Akaza only felt more enraged by this sentence. 'Repulsing? Did he just call me repulsing?'

"He doesn't eat humans, can't be killed by the sun, and has never hurt anyone. Unlike you; a disgrace to say the least" he continued, internally seething with anger however he kept this hidden.

Akaza snapped.

"It won't take long for you to turn on him! And I'll be waiting... waiting until then, it won't take long. You'll try to slice his head clean off like some sort of disposable piece o-"

"Enough!" Giyuu roared, his veins pulling as he propelled himself towards the demon. His attack was so driven by rage that it was easily predictable.

Redirecting the sword with a gust of wind, Akaza started to float in the sky and send attacks towards Giyuu from a distance "look at you Tomioka, you can't even protect him"

Akaza fell from the sky right next to Tanjiro, hand clasped tightly around his throat as he watched Giyuu freeze and slowly turn to face him.

"You left him completely open, what an amateur mistake. Whose the disgrace now?"

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Fuck me I sliced my foot open on a knife